Extruded display rack riser



Aug. 3, 1965 s. G. TOKASH EXTRUDED DISPLAY RACK RISER Filed July 24, 1963 INVENTOR Stephen 6. T olrash ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,198,349 EXTRUDED DISPLAY RACK RISER Stephen G. Tolrash, 8(208 Linden St., Munster, Ind. Filed July 24-, 1963, Ser. No. 297,346 6 Claims. (CL 21149) This invention relates to display racks, and particularly to such racks having terraced pockets therein for the convenient display of flat packaged merchandise and whereby a large number of such packages may be made visible in a relatively small area. The invention finds utility in the display of greeting cards, hosiery, etc. and, in the larger models, mens shirts, and the like. Thus displayed, the packages are not handled nearly as much by the prospective purchaser and he sees at a glance the range of colors and patterns of the merchandise he is interested in.

It is the principal object of the inventionto provide a plurality of interlocking risers for such racks to displace the ordinary multiple row pockets therein, which risers are constructed so that they may be extruded of poly styrene or the like at much less cost than injection molding, etc.

It is a further object to make the risers of separable parts which may be stacked and shipped in a relatively small carton.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the display portion of a display rack showing a series of the interlocking risers therein;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the rear face of the upper front rail of the rack;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the riser sections; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of one of the upper side rails of the rack.

Display racks with which my invention finds utility are usually of skeleton frame construction comprising four legs, joined together by front and rear rail members which span the distance between the front and rear legs and determine the width of the display space therebetween. There is usually a top rail adjacent the top of the legs and a bottom rail adjacent the bottom of the legs, for stability. Similarly there are top and bottom side rails and the length of these rails determines the depth of the display area of the rack.

The upper front rail of the rack is approximately six inches or so in width, and extends between the front legs and is secured thereto. Upon the rear surface thereof is formed or fixed thereto an angle shaped cleat 12, coextensive therewith and between the top and bottom edges thereof. This cleat is somewhat inclined to the plane of the rail so as to provide a tapered pocket between it and the rail. If the rail 10 is extruded as shown, the cleat would be formed integral therewith, but if of other material, it would be secured or welded thereto. In any event, the material has a relatively slight resilience tosnugly accommodate an insert therein. For this purpose, the inner face of the cleat, near the top edge thereof, is provided with a longitudinal indent 14 therealong.

While I have shown as a practical matter the cleat 12 formed on the rear of the front rail 10, it is obvious that other forms of attachment may be utilized to provide a recess or means of attachment of the risers 15 thereto.

The risers 15 as shown are of angle shape and of a length to span the distance from side rail 16 to side rail 18. The risers 15 have a portion 20 forming the bottom "ice of a pocket and a portion 22 at a slightly obtuse angle thereto, which forms the rear wall of the display pocket. Thus when the risers are installed in the rack with the rear wall vertical, the bottom wall inclines downwardly toward the front, keeping the merchandise toward the front of the pocket. Depending from the free edge of the portion 20 is a flan e 23 which is tapered in cross section and of a thickness to snugly fit within the tapered pocket on the rear face of the front rail 10. The flange 23 also has formed thereon an outwardly projecting bead 24, which, when the flange 23 is inserted into the pocket on the rear of the front rail, snaps into the indent 14 and is securely held therein. 1

The side rails 16 and 18 are also extrusions and each is provided along its lower edge with an inturned projection or attachment 26 forming a shelf on which the corners 28 of the risers rest for support. A gusset 29 is provided for strength between the projection 26 and the body of the rail. The upper edge of each side rail is turned inwardly a short distance and then downwardly forming a flange 27 to add rigidity to said side rails.

The rear surface of the portion 22 of each of the risers 15 is likewise provided with a cleat 30, similar in all respects to the cleat 12, to receive the flange 23 of successive risers forming the terraced display pockets and filling the space between the front and rear rails of the rack.

The cleats 30 may be located anywhere between the top and bottom edges of rear wall 22 of the display pocket, depending upon how steep it is desired to have the terraced pockets therein.

It is obvious too that the rack may have two or more tiers of such risers as is customary in floor racks, and that the rack may be madetwith relatively short legs with one tier of risers therein for counter top display of merchandise therein.

Since the required number of risers to fill a display area of the rack are simply snapped into one another, it is perfectly obvious, that extreme convenience and adaptability of the device are inherent.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided an exceedingly simple but practical demountable display rack which may be extruded at exceptionally low cost, and that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a display rack having spaced front and rear legs, upwardly and rearwardly inclined side rails extending between said front and rear legs, and a front rail extending between and secured at its ends to said front legs, of a plurality of risers, each comprising a member having angularly disposed flanges, which form the bottom and rear wall of a display pocket, means on the rear face of said front rail to removably receive the forward edge of the bottom of the next adjacent riser, said means and said edge being shaped to provide an articulate joint, the rear face of each riser being likewise formed with a similar means to receive the forward edge of adjacent risers whereby said risers may be successively removably joined for producing a plurality of display pockets in said display rack.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said means includes only an indent on the rear surface of said rear wall to receive a bead on the forward edge of the bottom of an adjacent riser.

3. The combination with a display rack having spaced front and rear legs, upwardly and rearwardly extending side rails between the front and rear legs, and a front rail extending between the front legs, of a plurality of like risers, each comprising an angular member having a bottom flange and an upright flange which form the bottom, and rear wall of a display pocket, the free edge of said bottom flange being provided with a depending tapered flange, and a cleat on the rear face of said front rail having a tapered pocket longitudinally thereof to frictionally receive said depending flange and provide an articulate joint, and similar cleats on the rear face of said upright flanges whereby said risers may be successively interlocked for producing a plurality of removable terraced display pockets in said display rack.

4 The structure of claim 3 wherein said cleats are of slightly resilient material to frictionally receive the depending flanges of successive risers.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein the lower edges of the side rails are provided with inturned projections forming a shelf to support the ends of the angles of said users.

6. The combination with a display rack having spaced front and rear legs, vertically spaced upwardly and rearwardly inclined side rails and vertically spaced front rails, the lower edge of each of said side rails being inwardly turned forming a support, and an angular cleat on the inner face of said front rails having a pocket formed therein, a plurality of like display risers each comprising an angular member having a bottom flange and an upright flange which form the bottom and rear wall of a display pocket, the free edge of the bottom flange being provided with a depending flange of cross sectional shape to fit within the pocket of said angular cleat and be frictionally retained thereby, similar angular cleats on the rear face of said upright flanges to receive and support the depending flange of the next adjacent riser, whereby said risers may be successively removably interlocked and supported on said side rail supports for producing a plurality of removable terraced display pockets in said display rack.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,532,600 12/50 Broersma 211-55 2,545,255 3/51 Brace 2l1-55 3,117,520 1/64 Kerr et al 248224 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A DISPLAY RACK HAVING SPACED FRONT AND REAR LEGS, UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY INCLINED SIDE RAILS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR LEGS, AND A FRONT RAIL EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED AT ITS ENDS TO SAID FRONT LEGS, OF A PLURALITY OF RISERS, EACH COMPRISING A MEMBER HAVING ANGULARLY DISPOSED FLANGES, WHICH FORM THE BOTTOM AND REAR WALL OF A FISPLAY POCKET, MEANS ON THE REAR FACE OF SAID FRONT RAIL TO REMOVABLY RECEIVE THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE BOTTOM OF THE NEXT ADJACENT RISER, SAID MEANS AND SAID EDGE BEING SHAPED TO PROVIDE AN ARTICULATE JOINT, THE REAR FACE OF EACH RISER BEING LIKEWISE FORMED WITH A SIMILAR MEANS TO RECEIVE THE FORWARD EDGE OF ADJACENT RISERS WHEREBY SAID RISERS MAY BE SUCCESSIVELY REMOVABLY JOINED FOR PRODUCING A PLURALITY OF DISPLAY POCKETS IN SAID DISPLAY RACK. 